First thoughts: Weezer-‘The Black Album’

Whether fans like it or not, this current incarnation of Weezer’s sound on “The Black Album” is what Weezer is, and has been for years now.

After “The Teal Album,” which was a covers record that actually just sounded like Rivers Cuomo karaoke with paint-by-numbers recreations, “The Black Album” shows a Weezer that continues to monitor music trends and influences. “Can’t Knock The Hustle” with its disco-dance hooks sounds like the band is trying to be post “Save Rock’N’Roll” Fall Out Boy while other tracks like “High As a Kite,” “Piece Of Cake,” and “The Prince Who Wanted Everything” really show Weezer trying to re-imagine the Beatles.

“The Black Album” is mostly polished pop, and on songs like “Byzantine” and the album’s best track “Zombie Bastards” it is Weezer at its best. Overall, “The Black Album” isn’t an awful record; it is just Weezer being Weezer in 2019, which is beloved band going through an identity crisis.